I still vividly remember the 2017 PBA Commissioner's Cup championship series as if it happened yesterday. The energy in the arena was absolutely electric, with every game delivering unforgettable moments that had basketball fans across the Philippines on the edge of their seats. What made this particular championship so memorable wasn't just the high-level basketball being played, but the fascinating team compositions and strategic choices that mirrored some of the patterns we're seeing in recent Alas teams. Looking back now, I can't help but draw parallels between that championship and the current trends where teams seem to prioritize either homegrown college standouts or international talents, rarely blending both successfully.

The championship series featured San Miguel Beermen against TNT KaTropa in what turned out to be a classic seven-game battle that stretched from May to July of 2017. San Miguel ultimately claimed the title with a 115-91 victory in the final game, but the journey there was anything but straightforward. What struck me most was how both teams had built their rosters with distinct philosophies. Watching Charles Rhodes dominate for San Miguel while import Joshua Smith powered through for TNT reminded me of today's discussions about whether teams should focus on developing local talents like Bella Belen, Angel Canino, and Alyssa Solomon or bring in international stars like Brooke Van Sickle, MJ Phillips, or Tia Andaya. It's fascinating how this pattern keeps repeating itself in Philippine basketball.

I've always believed that the most successful teams find ways to blend different talent sources, but the 2017 Commissioner's Cup showed that sometimes specialization works too. San Miguel's approach with Rhodes complemented their local stars like June Mar Fajouri and Alex Cabagnot perfectly. They weren't trying to be everything to everyone – they had a clear identity and stuck to it. This reminds me of how current Alas teams seem to make deliberate choices about their roster composition, either featuring college standouts or Fil-foreign stars, rarely both. There's something to be said about this focused approach, though I personally miss seeing more blended rosters that could showcase the full spectrum of Philippine basketball talent.

The championship series drew an average attendance of 18,500 fans per game, with television ratings peaking at 28.7% during the decisive Game 7. These numbers weren't just impressive – they demonstrated how much Philippine basketball had grown since I started following the sport professionally. The back-and-forth nature of the series, with neither team able to secure consecutive wins until San Miguel's final push, created a narrative that captivated the entire nation. Every game felt like its own mini-drama, with players stepping up in unexpected moments and coaches making adjustments that sometimes worked brilliantly and other times failed spectacularly.

What many casual fans might not remember is how the 2017 PBA Commissioner's Cup championship actually influenced team-building strategies for years to come. Teams saw how San Miguel's focused approach paid off and began emulating similar philosophies. This eventually evolved into the current trend where teams heavily invest in either developing local college talents or recruiting international players, but rarely doing both simultaneously. While this makes strategic sense from a team chemistry perspective, I can't help but feel we're missing out on potentially revolutionary combinations. Imagine if we could see talents like Belen and Van Sickle on the same court, or Canino playing alongside Phillips – the possibilities are thrilling to consider.

The individual performances during that championship were nothing short of spectacular. Rhodes averaged 28.3 points and 12.7 rebounds throughout the series, while local star Fajouri put up 22.1 points and 11.9 rebounds of his own. These numbers weren't just statistics – they represented the culmination of years of development and strategic planning. Watching Fajouri's growth from his college days to becoming a PBA champion reminded me of how important it is to nurture local talents, much like what we're seeing with current college standouts developing into professional stars.

As I reflect on those exciting highlights from the 2017 PBA Commissioner's Cup championship, I'm struck by how much the game has evolved while still grappling with the same fundamental questions about team composition and player development. The championship wasn't just about winning a title – it was a showcase of different basketball philosophies clashing on the court, much like the ongoing discussions we have today about the right balance between homegrown talents and international stars. While I appreciate the strategic thinking behind current team-building approaches, part of me wishes we could see more teams take risks with blended rosters. After all, basketball at its best has always been about bringing different strengths together to create something greater than the sum of its parts, much like what made the 2017 Commissioner's Cup championship so unforgettable.